I got caught up in a traffic jam of note at 7h00 this morning. Two sets of consecutive traffic lights were out at 2 intersections in the Johannesburg CBD, the route I decided to take to get onto the M1 to Sandton.
Traffic gridlocked at these 2 intersections. It just wasn’t moving. Minibus taxis pushed in. Busses were stuck in the middle of the intersections. Cars edged forward, each motorist to their own devices – me included.
On the intersection of Booysens and Webb, traffic police half-heartedly and unsuccessfully tried to get some control – but they surely need some assertiveness training because no one paid them any attention. They eventually just stood on the pavement dejectedly watching the scene unfold – I felt sorry for them actually .
At the intersection of Booysens and Trump, a traffic policeman was directing traffic more or less successfully, but I waited 10 minutes before he gave us right of way.
At the onramp to the M1 another traffic policeman resorted to shouting, hands on either side of his head, furiously gesticulating at motorists who were trying to cut in front of the cars already waiting to get onto the freeway.
“Wat n’ gedoente!”
Please believe me when I say that I laughed so hard I got to work in a good mood. Because it was really funny. Like something out of Schuster movie!
Note 1: "Wat n' gendoente" is an Afrikaans expression and means "What a mess/fuss/hullabaloo."
Note 2: Leon Schuster is a popular South African filmmaker, comedian and actor who specialises in slap-stick humour and candid camera type movies.
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Thank you for sharing this story. It’s great to have a healthy sense of humor especially at those times when the world and our fellow men and women do such things that warrant more critique than comedic response.
Many times I have noticed during the winter months especially when highway snow removal crews are doing their best to make the roads safer to drive that exit ramp lanes on highways are filled with those impatient motorists who wish to jump the gun and not wait their turn in line no matter what the circumstance.
Fellow drivers honk their horns or curse such juvenile antics but I just shake my head, laugh at the absurdity of it all and listen to my car’s radio– a station named Escape. 🙂
That’s a good name for a radio station :-).
At the end of it all, everyone gets to where they want to go, and pushing in doesn’t make one get there faster. I must admit that once or twice I’ve overtaken a slower car hoping to get to my destination faster only to stop at the next traffic light with the car I’ve just overtaken coming to a stop just behind me, off course me feeling very foolish about it.
I’m glad you liked the story and thank you for stopping by and commenting. Hope to see you back.